A seasoned regulatory and government affairs attorney, Jon counsels clients on energy, transportation, telecommunications and cybersecurity legal and policy issues.
Overview
In his prior role as Attorney-Advisor to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), he advised senior FERC staff and the Commission on a range of issues affecting wholesale electric markets, including transmission and generator interconnection, development of RTO/ISO market rules, transmission planning, and energy storage.
He draws on this experience to represent electric and gas utilities, industry trade associations, project developers, and transportation industry clients in transactional matters and regulatory proceedings. He helps clients navigate federal rules and regulations, understand their business implications, and strategically influence policy before regulatory agencies, Congress and departments of the U.S. Cabinet.
Experience
Advises and represents electric utilities and trade associations on issues involving wholesale electric markets, compliance and enforcement matters, transmission planning and development, FERC transmission open access policies and standards of conduct, generator interconnection, electric reliability, and physical/cybersecurity.
Works with clients to develop strategies for regulatory compliance and advocacy, and engages with policymakers and regulators at various Federal agencies on pending and final rules.
Represents shippers in natural gas pipeline rate proceedings.
Advises utilities on FERC anti-market manipulation rules, transmission standards of conduct policies, and NERC reliability compliance, and prepares internal compliance training programs.
Represented clients in nearly all major FERC rulemakings since 2010, securing many key policy victories.
Represented clients in all phases of FERC Order No. 1000 rulemaking and related DC Circuit appeal, successfully carving out a role for non-public utilities in regional transmission planning processes, while safeguarding their rights with respect to cost allocation and withdrawal.
Advised private equity developer and investor-owned electric utility on FERC transmission incentive rate policies, and engaged with FERC staff.
Advised client on must-run generator cost allocation methodologies used in various organized wholesale markets.
Advised numerous electric utilities on FERC open access transmission policies, and developed transmission tariffs to conform to open access rules.
Prepared FERC depreciation rate update filings and triennial market power update filings for investor-owned utility.
Advised and defended electric utility in FERC complaint proceeding challenging development of transmission facility, resulting in favorable rejection of complaint in its entirety.
Advised utility on issues regarding PURPA and mandatory purchase obligations from Qualifying Facilities.
Advised electric utilities and project developers on FERC generator interconnection issues and policy.
Served as lead government affairs and regulatory counsel for large, Class I publicly-traded railroad in connection with potential merger.
News & Insights
News
Speaking Engagements
Speaker, “Federal Energy Policy Update,” Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Energy and Environment Committee, Kansas City, MO, February 2017
Speaker, Various EUCI “FERC 101” and “FERC Compliance & Enforcement” Seminars, 2014-15
Panelist, “Thinking Outside The Box: Practical Advice for Career Advancement and Networking,” Suffolk University Law School Alumni Association, Washington, D.C., June 2013
Publications
Co-Author, "What We Talk About when We Talk About Resilience," Energy Bar Association Journal, November 2018
Co-Author, “FERC Comes Under Fire for High-Profile Prosecution in Powhatan,” Natural Gas & Electricity, Vol. 31, No. 11, 2015
Contributing Author, Report of System Reliability & Planning Committee, Energy Law Journal, Vol. 34, No. 2 (2013); Vol. 35, No. 2, 2014
Contributing Author, “Natural Gas Transportation,” Energy Law and Transactions (Matthew Bender)
Contributing Author, “Federal Regulation of Energy Transactions - Hydroelectric Power,” Energy Law and Transactions (Matthew Bender)
Client Alerts
Co-Author, “DOE Issues Proposed Grid Security Emergency Order Procedures in Accordance with FAST Act,” Stinson LLP Alert, December 2016
Co-Author, “FERC Eases Electric Storage and Distributed Energy Resource Aggregator Participation in Wholesale Markets,” Stinson LLP Alert, November 2016
Co-Author, “NERC Poses Draft Physical Security Reliability Standard: CIP-014-1,” Stinson LLP Alert, April 2014
Co-Author, “FERC Orders Physical Security Standards That Will Impact All Bulk Power System Assets,” Stinson LLP Alert, March 2014
Co-Author, “NIST Releases Cybersecurity Framework,” Stinson LLP Alert, February 2014
Recognitions
Recognitions
Recipient of the Suffolk University Law School Gold Alumni Award for Graduate of the Last Decade, October 2014
Named to the DC Bar Pro Bono Program’s Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2014
Recipient of the Suffolk University Law School Leadership in Experiential Learning Award, Summer 2012
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
Energy Bar Association
- System Reliability, Planning and Security Committee – Member; Past Chairman & Vice-Chairman
- Electricity Committee – Member
Suffolk Law School Association of Metropolitan Washington, Inc. – Board of Directors; Past President & Chairman of the Board of Directors
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- District of Columbia, 2011
- Massachusetts, 2007
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, 2012
Education
Suffolk University, J.D., 2007
Villanova University, B.A., 2004